Westbury Park has some interesting properties. I’ve just been to a narrowish road made up of two rows of terraced houses built in the late Victorian period. I think that originally they had slate covered roofs, but, it always frustrates me when I can not get onto a roof that is designed with parapet gutters. Imagine how I felt then, when I could barely see half of the roof, to be honest, probably nearer only a quarter of it. Why don’t owners and or builders introduce an opening on to their roof if only to keep surveyors happy? It was bad enough trying to shift a very heavy wooden bed to get to the access trap into the roof space in the first place. I don’t know, but I could tell my Client, that the roof is now covered with concrete tiles and that apart from a small leak to a chimney stack that had only recently been repaired, but not that well, that the house was otherwise in reasonable condition, although, it is a tad neglected. Never mind, he is aware of its condition and he can proceed in the knowledge that he has a pleasant house in a quiet location and to boost a south facing rear garden. Now, once that has been hard landscaped with brick and stone, possibly slate and maybe a water feature…   more »

Little Stoke is a pleasant modern sub-urban development mainly built in the 1960’s, but nevertheless, not an unattractive area, even though there those who do not like 1960’s built houses. I had to value a chalet style semi, a big house for all of that, because it had been extended and extended and then, for good measure, extended again. Even so, it is never easy valuing, frankly, any house in any area including in Little Stoke, in this appalling declining market, but I hope my report will be of help…   more »

This was a bit different, but I knew that it was going to be. I have been watching these houses being built and I had wanted to se inside for myself and I got the chance to do so when I was asked to look at one. It turned out to be a well built house, perhaps not quite, not quite to the same standard as the bungalow I saw ion Nailsea earlier in the week, but not far short. Everything was in good alignment (even the shower door and the en-suite doors met so vertically there was almost no gap between them). Fitments were all good, but, the architect, may just have got the design slightly out as there was no way from the house into the attached garage, but I think, that with a little bit of additional building this can be sorted out. Anyway, nice house, nice location and a nice house to move into in the New Year…   more »

I’ve had a great day to-day! I’ve been looking at a very large, interesting house that was once owned by a former Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, or so I was told, who had some rather odd ideas, but perhaps not as odd as the present vendor! The house is in South Gloucestershire and has, on good days, magnificent open views, but sadly not today! A long time ago, before the Governor got hold of it, so history may relate, the coach bringing mail from the ferry at Aust stopped here, to change or rest the horses and keep the coach overnight in a coach house. It has been in the current owners family for nearly fifty years and they have kept it adequately maintained, but for some reason decided to introduce a number of circular windows! The house has two staircases, so in effect is in two parts, but it should not prove too difficult to re-arrange back into one. There’s lots of out houses, but these do need attention. All in all, not a bad house, and plenty to keep my Client occupied for the next few years…   more »

Many years ago, and I’m really talking of millions, or certainly lots of thousands of years ago, it is thought that Nailsea was an inland island, because apparently the estuary of the River Avon circulated around the area before cutting it's way through the Clifton Gorge, or something like that. It all seems a bit far fetched to me, but that is how it got its name – island in the sea, translates to Nailsea - according to an article I read recently, well yesterday actually in a local ‘CAMERA’ magazine. Anyway, this must have been one of the more interesting and enviable properties that I have seen for many a year, and you won’t often hear me saying that! Although it is only a few years old, the builder, who ever he was could rightly be pleased, very pleased with his work. Despite being close to a known past coal mining area, there was no suggestion of any damage due to those past activities, so my Client can happily move in and watch the ‘allotmenteers’ going peaceably about their work…   more »

I like this part of Clifton, Cliftonwood really, because it’s quiet. It is a bit of a hike up to the shops and the ‘village’, as those living in Clifton like to say, but unlike the residents of the ‘village’, they don’t get such a magnificent view of the docks or of the SS Gt. Britain and they have to put up with the hoolies wrecking the place at week-ends – nice place to live! Anyway, demographics aside, this was an interesting house having six rooms on six separate floors, well half landings really. It was all in reasonably good condition, so my Clients can proceed, hopefully quite happily and enjoy the very open aspect over this part of the city…   more »

I have just been to see a pleasant two bedroomed bungalow in this past coal mining town, but there was no evidence of any past coal mining 'activity' in the dwelling at all. There was no sign of any cracking of the walls or of any subsidence of the floors, all of which, of course bodes well. The property was vacant and empty, but someone had left the heating on which was fortunate, because it was still a cold day. It does need a little bit of money spending on it, but not a fortune, which is just as well in these stringent times. The bungalow is in a reasonably quiet, slightly wooded area and has an attractive, but not too larger a garden, so, hopefully, another happy Client…

There's always one who complains of damp..."We're going mouldy..." It really should not be possible for water to enter a purpose built block of flats built in the 1960's, even though they do look as though they were built from an East German design! ( although of course sometimes it does, but not in this case). The occupiers complained of mould growth, but it really was not worth the telephone call, because all it is, is a little mould caused by condensation forming on a couple of walls, a bit of skirting board and on some of the window frames, even though they are double glazed. Condensation can be a problem, but all you have to remember is to open windows, particularly bedroom windows at night,however abhorrent that may sound to reduce condensation. It will reduce the problem and in any event it will be better for your health. Thank you, Doctor Beard...

Talking of Robin Hood, as I was yesterday, who is quite old, to-day I have just been to see a grade II listed Tithe barn. However, unlike the property yesterday (a pub) that was built in the 1930’s, this was constructed, apparently some 650 years earlier, circa 1400, or so I was told by those in the know. The ‘Listing’ said its roof was fifteenth century, so it wasn’t possibly quite that old. The roof was actually re-built, every rafter, every purlin, every strut, every chevron, each attached with ‘dog tooth’ washers, every nail, oh! and the numerous metal supports in the mid/late 1960’s, when it was entirely re-covered. Exactly what remains of this fourteenth century barn I was at a loss to find, but I expect a few of the stone walls, though many of them have been re-built at some stage or other. The windows are appalling. Why on earth it was listed I have no idea, but…My Client is a charity, so, we’ll do the work and claim back the vat (only at 15%now), hopefully on all of it – repairs and improvements, and then, who knows, go for a de-listing!!!   more »

Just popped in for a quick one! Not really, but I have just been to look, professionally at a public house that is up for grabs, but apparently only my Client knows about it! It is a bit of a run down hostelry that needs a great deal of tlc, and quite possibly a new roof to keep the lady Marion dry. The cellar is also a bit damp, so she probably won’t go down there herself that is until it is dried up, tidied up and cleaned up. The accommodation, however will scrub up quite nicely and then Robin Hood and all his merrie men and their mates can come along to the party. The Sherriff is not invited…   more »

I’ve been down on the docks today, not of course on the docks themselves, that’s, just a euphemism, because as yet I can’t walk on water, to see a house probably built at the turn of the last century. It was empty apart from an itinerant inheritor from New Zealand, who was camping there, though all and sundry will, no doubt be pleased to hear that he is going back tomorrow. The house has been in his family since 1934, so I don’t suppose there have been more than one or two owners during that time. To date there have been no real alterations or real improvements, but now we’re almost in 2009, all that will change, but my Client has a reasonable base from which to start work. And, there’s going to be quite a lot of work to do, but there are views, of sorts, of the docks, when he needs a rest…   more »

I have just been to see the last of three houses that I started looking at for my Client at the end of the previous week. This house is an end of terraced property built in the 1930’s and occupied by the vendor and his wife for the last twelve years. They have not maintained it very well; Eric could have got a couple of jobs here (see Monday’s blog) and now, of course they want ‘big’ money for it… Its saving grace is that it does have a very large garden, much of which is on the side, but the planners did not like a previous application to build another house on it. I wonder what my client has in mind; time will tell, as he’ll be in to see me on Monday…   more »

Lady Henrietta Hope, together with Vicountess Glenarchy provided funds for building the chapel off Hope Chapel Hill and had a square named after her, I don’t really know what happened to the no doubt good Vicountess, nothing was named after her. What did she do to annoy the populace?…Anyway, not my problem as I have just looked at one of the houses close-by, a house that was in the early 1960’s due for demolition as the row had become slums. The City council wanted to demolish them and more period property at that time, but a revered local architect, sadly now no longer with us, managed to have them saved. They were sold to individuals who took their time to renovate them. Money was tight then as it is now and a previous owner took in lodgers. Unfortunately one could not pay the rent so he agreed to paint a couple of the door panels (actually six) in the style of ‘Constable’. Quite refreshing really, and even better, the current vendor has up graded the house true to its style. However, it does have very contemporary fitments, but you can just see the chapel…   more »

I am out of Bristol for the next few days as I am looking at a Grade II listed building, but it’s not small. It’s going to take me at least two days but I anticipate I will in fact finish it on Wednesday – I have to as I am meeting my Client then. It is a very large county house last sold in 1934 to the estate of the last owner who had Eric keep on patching it up and patching it up. It was never decorated after the 1940/1950’s and there are so many areas where water has got in, though in fairness, Eric seems to have done his best! Part of the house was even closed off for over forty years, because the late vendor’s second wife did not want to sleep in the first wife’s bedroom! Water, and possibly a lot of venom got in there! A wardrobe blocked the entrance! Anyway, my Client is pleased with the result, so I am pleased for him, but boy… there’s an awful lot of work to do there…   more »